Author Topic: Australian Belly Tank  (Read 3170995 times)

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Offline SPARKY

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #180 on: January 31, 2007, 11:16:23 PM »
 :-)Great choice on the frame components---RED for RACE :-D
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline Dr Goggles

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Rosso il tempero
« Reply #181 on: February 05, 2007, 05:55:16 AM »
the red was oxide primer and it has quickly been buried in equipment yellow.....we're hard at it , but we don't seem to be getting there.......
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline Greyboy

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #182 on: February 05, 2007, 08:37:53 AM »
 8-) That's what sunglasses are for man!  8-)

Carry on!

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Belly Tank progress
« Reply #183 on: February 05, 2007, 05:58:08 PM »
Yes the feeling is slow motion but progress is being made.

We have been struggling with the canopy for the past few weekends and most of the work is invisible. It is where all the body pieces meet, on a hinge no less, and so adjusting everything to get just right for that correct seamline has been a real process! You think today this bit will be done, but no, you spend all day working on gettiing another bit right for the canopy to be right, and although a step closer you don't feel like it.

But it is all tightening up and when done we wont know what hit us. It will be a closed body for the first time soon, and the jobs, though many will be small ones.

Brake and clutch lines have been put in, the dash piece made, petrol out put in, hubs put back on, seat smoothed... I write this list primarily to make Dr Go and myself feel better...

My hands are swollen and covered in cuts. It is a good feeling. It is still doable for this year.

Reverend Hedgash


Offline JackD

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #184 on: February 05, 2007, 06:41:00 PM »
Get a box of cheap deal examination gloves and save your hands for important stuff.
You know the cuts won't heal otherwise and taking a cut on the hand to the salt will make you grumpy.
What better accessory to get a firm grip on a beverage also. :wink:
« Last Edit: February 06, 2007, 04:54:24 AM by JackD »
"I would rather lose going fast enough to win than win going slow enough to lose."
"That horrible smell is dirty feet being held to the fire"

Offline SPARKY

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #185 on: February 08, 2007, 11:52:58 PM »
KEEP going guys---I am glad you are planning on doing it this year----------firing on the salt---grate  fun
Miss LIBERTY,  changing T.K.I.  to noise, dust, rust, BLUE HATS & hopefully not scrap!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."   Helen Keller

We are going to explore the racing N words NITROUS & NITRO!

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #186 on: February 18, 2007, 10:33:54 PM »
Good Safety Tip:

When its over 100 degrees F and you are only wearing shorts and a T-shirt in a tin shed sweating profusely... do NOT do a goodly amount of sand blasting unless you want to look and feel like a sand castle.


Canopy clips in, engine with ported heads in, loom attached (mostly), canopy latch established, steering wheel with home made quick release made, battery located, final piece of body work welded on, photos coming.

rev H+
winner Mont st Michelle lookalike contest
« Last Edit: February 18, 2007, 10:36:14 PM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline JackD

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #187 on: February 18, 2007, 10:54:29 PM »
You need one of my room fans with the drip feeder from the melt off at the bottom of a chilly bin.
Your problem with that is I won't give it to you and you will have to make your own from stuff you likely already have.. :wink:
"I would rather lose going fast enough to win than win going slow enough to lose."
"That horrible smell is dirty feet being held to the fire"

Offline Sumner

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Re: Australian Belly Tank
« Reply #188 on: February 18, 2007, 10:56:24 PM »
Good Safety Tip:

When its over 100 degrees F and you are only wearing shorts and a T-shirt in a tin shed sweating profusely... do NOT do a goodly amount of sand blasting unless you want to look and feel like a sand castle.


Canopy clips in, engine with ported heads in, loom attached (mostly), canopy latch established, steering wheel with home made quick release made, battery located, final piece of body work welded on, photos coming.

rev H+
winner Mont st Michelle lookalike contest

Good progress!!! Wish I was there to see it run.  Good luck and have fun and leave the "no cloths" to "animal"  :evil:.

c ya,

Sum

Offline Dr Goggles

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    • "Australian Bellytank" , http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/
these things are sent to try us
« Reply #189 on: March 02, 2007, 11:55:04 PM »
.........mixed emotions about the cancellation , we spent a lot of dough to get stuff sorted in time , it meant we did it rather than sit around waiting till we could "afford it "......a lot of that stuff will now be junked in favour of the best solution( hey ,it's all a compromise)and we will move on .

One of the more trying aspects is that we will have had the " sponsor motor" ( read; brand new fly by wire electronic vari-cam )sitting around for eighteen months by next year , we want to run it stock because it's "cutting edge " and would be just like the one in the road cars........all the work we've put into the earlier V6's we have may be in vain now .That's the difficult thing about doing this downunder , one shot a year.I've complained enough.

Calls are starting to come in from those on the road ,on their way back. The Rev' said about one of our mates who runs an RX7 and turned back last year when he heard there was water on the track and then didn't hear that it WAS going ahead until way too late that it would be hard to imagine the way he feels , he then said , " I don't think there'd be any swearing or breaking things but I think the card house inside him just fell down"..........anyone for cribbage??
Few understand what I'm trying to do but they vastly outnumber those who understand why...................

http://thespiritofsunshine.blogspot.com/

Current Australian E/GL record holder at 215.041mph

THE LUCKIEST MAN IN SLOW BUSINESS.

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Belly Tank Photos
« Reply #190 on: March 06, 2007, 02:49:58 AM »
There is an element of the Odd Couple in this racing team where I can be the Felix Unger of angle grinding to Dr G's Klugmann just grabbing it and chopping it in half.

When it comes to tidiness the roles are relatively reversed.

Heat, small shed, running out of time, not enough money and power tools. 

It all could have ended up on as a horror movie on the 6 thirty news. But no. We survived the difference in personalities (there were some who feared the worst) and through it all, with guts and determination completed the car!!!!* It's a damn pity that the lake was not up to the task.

The canopy was a major and tricky task and it took forever. We are mighty proud of it though and works a treat. The handle is from an HQ holden.

The engine was put in and Colonel Grump successfully reloomed the thing. It started but had petrol pump problems which lead to a last minute purchase of another pump. Still to be fully sorted. Photo is of a Dr Goggles with fingers crossed on the first starting.

Rev. H+

(*well, enough to take to the salt for a shake down...)
« Last Edit: March 06, 2007, 02:53:15 AM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Photos 2
« Reply #191 on: March 06, 2007, 02:55:49 AM »
We did the one of the fastest bog and paint jobs on the planet. 2 hours from bow to wow!.

We based the side window on the old chopped coupes. Gives a good expression to the car and is great for vision for turning in the pits. It feels more like a Citroen DS "cathedral of Glass" inside than a lakester.

rH+
« Last Edit: March 06, 2007, 02:57:49 AM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Photos 3
« Reply #192 on: March 06, 2007, 03:01:57 AM »
We are very happy with the lines of the car now clearly roughed out. We now can spend the year improving how things go together, correcting details, maker more faster, more safer, more beautiful.

And build a trailer. and fix up the truck. Sheesh I've got a list so long here in my hand that there aren't enough weekends to next year's race already!!!

The chap with the beard in the shot is Vaughn. A local who accidentally visited one day and has been helping ever since. Very handy on the tools. Thanks Vaughn!

Under the pump already, Reverend H+

« Last Edit: March 06, 2007, 03:03:57 AM by Reverend Hedgash »

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Quick change steering
« Reply #193 on: March 06, 2007, 03:14:48 AM »
Dr G and I spent a great design twenty minutes thinking, "hmmmmm. How can we do a quick release steering hub on the cheap with the stuff we've got and still work well?"

Different ideas came and went, each better than the other until we hit it. Telescoping steel square angle with a spring loaded pull clip on a chain.

The ideas also went from complex to simple and now you look at it and go, "of course! That's easy!"

We like to think that the whole car seems to have this quality. From its driving seat made of wheel arches, to its $20 shifter from a 4 speed drive gemini.

We do get that reaction from visitors... initially. Then they start looking at the thing and they go kind of quiet. For everywhere you look it is this weird effort. Everywhere. It has been a long three and a half years.

Rev. H+

Offline Reverend Hedgash

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Thank you to our sponsor
« Reply #194 on: March 06, 2007, 03:30:55 AM »
Over the past three years people have been great in coming forward to assist in many ways who just say, "I like the sound of your project, we would love to help."

One such person is Graham from ColdFire Australia (http://www.coldfireaustralia.com.au/) who from the onset of our approach two years ago was extremely positive in providing information and said he would help us with the fire system simply because he liked the project (he is an ex stockcar racer which doesn't hurt!).

Last week he was more than true to his word when he came to visit us and help with the installation of the ColdFire fire suppression system. He is the only licensed dealer in Australia for this product and we are most grateful to him and his generosity in not only supplying our system, but fire extinguishers for the crew and clear Motormax radiator coolant for the water tank. Wow.

The stuff is non toxic, and environmentally sound for use on the salt (clear).

I don't believe in forums being product sales sites but feel compelled!

thanks Graham,

Reverend Hedgash
Jarman Stewart Racing